| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: to stop, and I was drenched with sweat. I recovered my breath and
went on. The night was so dark that at every step I feared to
dash myself against one of the trees on the roadside, which rose
up sharply before me like great phantoms rushing upon me.
I overtook one or two wagons, which I soon left behind. A
carriage was going at full gallop toward Bougival. As it passed
me the hope came to me that Marguerite was in it. I stopped and
cried out, "Marguerite! Marguerite!" But no one answered and the
carriage continued its course. I watched it fade away in the
distance, and then started on my way again. I took two hours to
reach the Barriere de l'Etoile. The sight of Paris restored my
Camille |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Juana by Honore de Balzac: key in the lock we must waken her."
As he rose to take the duplicate key of Juana's door his eyes fell by
chance on the circular gleam of light upon the black wall of the inner
courtyard. Within that circle he saw the shadow of a group such as
Canova alone has attempted to render. The Spaniard turned back.
"I do not know," he said to the Marana, "where to find the key."
"You are very pale," she said.
"And I will show you why," he cried, seizing his dagger and rapping
its hilt violently on Juana's door as he shouted,--
"Open! open! open! Juana!"
Juana did not open, for she needed time to conceal Montefiore. She
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